as i venture further into the fashion world, it seems that the numero uno question to ask me is 'who are your favorite designers?' as i answer truthfully that i don't have a favorite designer and their smiles fade into smirks, i am left feeling as if they've stumped me, like i failed their pop quiz. i am surprised they don't stamp my forehead with the word "FRAUD!" then, i become angry at the pompous individual and their obvious but imposing question.
the truth is i like clothes and accessories that appeal to me. there isn't one designer who can faithfully meet that standard season after season. i'm just not a designer whore. rachel zoe once said designers are her celebrities. not so much for me. truth is, (like most) i can't afford designer clothing so why should i pay such close attention? for me, clothing (and all that accompanies it) is a way of creating a character or persona. i love to read just so that i can come across various interesting individuals. i feel the same way about fashion. if we're lucky, a designer's collection is telling the story of a particular or various characters cohesively. some character i may like...some...not as much. certain characters may be dear to my heart because i can see myself in them. others i may not actually relate to but can maintain an appreciation for them. then there are characters that, for whatever reason, rub me the wrong way. and that is why i don't have a favorite designer...what do i like, what is my ideal aesthetic? a rebellious, rock glam, urban ethnic, feminine, strong classic look with a twist of me.
i draw inspiration from all things...art (like frida kahlo, james van der zee), literature (like zora neale hurston and dorothy parker) music (from bob marley to lil kim), television (gossip girl and general hospital) and movies (sparkle to shopgirl). i extract inspiration from rich cultures (like italian and caribbean) and periods of history (roaring 20's to the revolutionary 60's). i even get inspired by my family (hi mom, hi dad). i rarely ever ask myself what designers they are wearing. i don't care; all i know is they're wearing it WELL! does that make me unworthy of the title passionista? does that signify that i should NOT have a blog about style or pursue a fashion related career? if your answer is yes, then that is YOUR opinion that i strongly disagree with.
that said, just to appease the curious masses, i've created a list of people that i often enjoy. here goes:
- L.A.M.B by Gwen Stefani
- Diane von Furstenberg
- Burberry
- the new Tommy Hilfiger (with the Royal Tenenbaum influence)
- Mui Mui
- Anna Sui
- Guess
- Betsey Johnson
- Baby Phat (the runway, not the store stuff)
- Louis Vuitton
- Marc Jacobs
- Catch A Fire by Cedella Marley
- Vivienne Westwood
- Rachel Roy (lately)
to name a few (of course, there are countless others)
or perhaps, i can be better defined by what is not for me. for instance, tracy reese is a hero of mine. however, her clothes tend to be too girly for me but pleasing to my mother. and then there is calvin klein. he is certainly from the less is more, minimalist school which is not to my taste.
so there you have it...i hope this answers that (dreadful) question accurately.
xoxo jenna pearle*
2 comments:
Hi there
This post was interesting, how long did it take you to write?
thanks! i wrote and posted this probably within a 40 min period probably because i encountered the question so much.
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